Doll having replaceable heads with multiple faces

ABSTRACT

A doll assembly has a torso having a neck, at least one arm, and at least one leg. The doll assembly also has at least one head having a plurality of faces on different sides of the head, each face having one nose, one mouth, a pair of eyes and a pair of ears, the head further having a first connector at a bottom portion thereof that removably connects the neck, and a second connector at a top portion thereof. The doll assembly further includes at least one wig having a wig connector that removably connects the second connector to secure the wig to the top portion of the head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to dolls and action figures, and inparticular, to dolls having removable and replaceable heads, with eachhead having two separate faces.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Dolls and action figures have always been popular among boys and girls.Many girls have multiple dolls because they enjoy having different dollswith different characters. They may have a happy doll for certainsituations, an action doll for other situations, and asophisticated/dressy doll. Children will also dress up their dolls andaction figures with different outfits, or (for dolls) change thehairstyle. Such variety and change is the essence of the fun andamusement that is derived from playing with dolls and action figures.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is one objective of the present invention to provide a doll assemblythat has increased variety of play and amusement.

To accomplish the objectives set forth above, the present inventionprovides a doll assembly having a torso having a neck, at least one arm,and at least one leg. The doll assembly also has at least one headhaving a plurality of faces on different sides of the head, each facehaving one nose, one mouth, a pair of eyes and a pair of ears, the headfurther having a first connector at a bottom portion thereof thatremovably connects the neck, and a second connector at a top portionthereof. The doll assembly further includes at least one wig having awig connector that removably connects the second connector to secure thewig to the top portion of the head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side plan view of a doll according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1B is a side plan view of the doll of FIG. 1A shown wearing a wig.

FIG. 1C is a side plan view of the doll of FIG. 1A showing the otherside of the doll.

FIG. 1D is a side plan view of the doll of FIG. 1C shown wearing a wig.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the head of the doll of FIG.1A.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing how the head of the dollof FIG. 1A can be removably secured to the torso of the doll.

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate how the doll of the present invention and itsaccessories can be used.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate four different faces that can be used for thedoll head of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate four different wigs that can be used with thedoll head of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a side plan view of a doll head according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B is a top plan view of the doll head of FIG. 7A.

FIGS. 8A-8C are three different side plan views of a doll head accordingto yet another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8D is a top plan view of the doll head of FIGS. 8A-8C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplatedmodes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustratinggeneral principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of theinvention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention provides a doll assembly that allows the head tobe removed and replaced by a different head. Each head is provided withtwo separate faces on opposite sides of the head so that the doll canassume two different identities or characters when the head is attachedto the torso of the doll. In addition, a variety of different wigs canbe removably secured to the top of each head to provide increasedvariety of play.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, the doll 10 has a torso 12 which includes arms14 and legs 16, as with any conventional doll. The arms 14 and legs 16can be provided with appendages so that the arms 14 and legs 16 can bepivoted and moved. A head 18 can be removably secured to the neck 20 ofthe torso 12 in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, each head 18 has two faces 22 a, 22 bon opposite sides thereof. The two faces 22 a and 22 b are different,and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the face 22 a can be an ordinaryand conventional face, while the other face 22 b can be mysterious face.Therefore, a doll that has such a head 18 can be portrayed with havingtwo different personalities. As shown in FIG. 1A, each head 18 has twopairs of eyes (one pair for each face), two pairs of ears (one pair foreach face), two noses (one for each face), and two mouths (one for eachface). An opening 24 is provided at the top of the head 18 for receivinga pin 26 from a replaceable wig 28. Another opening 30 is provided atthe bottom of the head 18 for receiving a winged locking pin 32 thatextends from the top of the neck 20 of the torso 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A-1D, 2, 3 and 4A-4D, the child can select anydesired doll head 18, and then install the doll head 18 to the torso 12by inserting the winged locking pin 32 through the opening 30. Thus, theopening 30 and the neck 20 (i.e., via the locking pin 32) function asconnectors. Since the locking pin 32 is winged, the winged portions 34can be flexed so as to allow the locking pin 32 to be inserted throughthe opening 30, with the winged portions 34 maintaining the doll head 18at the neck 20 (see FIGS. 3 and 4A). Once the head 18 has been installedat the neck 20, the child can decide which face to feature by turningthe head 18 around the neck 20 so that the selected face faces the front(see FIG. 4B). The child can then select the desired wig 28, and insertthe pin 26 through the opening 24 to secure the wig 28 in a snap-fitconnection at the top of the head 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 4C). Thus, theopening 24 and the pin 26 function as connectors. The wig 28 can rotated(if desired), or removed later to be replaced by a different wig 28. Thechild can also rotate the head 18 to select the other face, then rotatethe wig 28 as needed, to change the face and/or the wig 28 being used.See FIGS. 1C, 1D and 4D.

A plurality of different heads 18 can be provided for use with a singletorso 12. FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate four different faces. The faces shownin FIGS. 5A and 5D correspond to the two faces provided on the head 18shown in FIGS. 1A-1D and 2-3, while the faces shown in FIGS. 5B and 5Ccan be the two faces provided on a different head 18.

Similarly, a plurality of different wigs 28 can be provided for use withthe heads 18. FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate four different wigs that can beused with faces in FIGS. 5A-5D.

The head 18 can be provided with more than two faces. For example, FIGS.7A and 7B illustrate a doll head 18 x having four separate and differentfaces 22 c, 22 d, 22 e and 22 f. Each face 22 c, 22 d, 22 e and 22 f hastwo pairs of eyes (one pair for each face), two pairs of ears (one pairfor each face), four noses (one for each face), and four mouths (one foreach face).

Similarly, FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate a doll head 18 y having three separateand different faces 22 g, 22 h and 22 i. Each face 22 g, 22 h and 22 ihas two pairs of eyes (one pair for each face), two pairs of ears (onepair for each face), three noses (one for each face), and three mouths(one for each face).

Thus, the present invention provides a doll assembly that allows theuser to change the face of a doll so that the doll can assume differentpersonalities and/or identities. In addition, by allowing different wigsto be removably coupled to the head(s), the user can accompany thechange in personality and/or identity of the doll by an appropriatechange in the hair color and style.

While the description above refers to particular embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be understood that many modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claimsare intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the truescope and spirit of the present invention.

1. A doll assembly, comprising: a torso having a neck, at least one arm,and at least one leg; a head having a plurality of faces on differentsides of the head, each face having one nose, one mouth, a pair of eyesand a pair of ears, the head further having a first connector at abottom portion thereof that removably connects the neck, and a secondconnector at a top portion thereof; and a wig having a wig connectorthat removably connects the second connector to secure the wig to thetop portion of the head.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the head isa first head, and further including a second head having a plurality offaces on different sides of the second head, each face on the secondhead having one nose, one mouth, a pair of eyes and a pair of ears, andwherein the faces on the second head are different from the faces on thefirst head.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the wig is a first wig,and further including a second wig having a wig connector that removablyconnects the second connector to secure the second wig to the topportion of the head, with the second wig being different from the firstwig.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first connector is a firstopening that receives the neck, the second connector is a secondopening, and the wig connector is a pin that is inserted into the secondopening.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the head has two faces. 6.The assembly of claim 1, wherein the head has three faces.
 7. Theassembly of claim 1, wherein the head has four faces.
 8. The assembly ofclaim 2, wherein the first head has two faces and the second head hasthree faces.
 9. A method of playing with a doll, comprising: providing adoll assembly, comprising: a torso having a neck, at least one arm, andat least one leg; a first head having a plurality of faces on differentsides of the first head, each face having one nose, one mouth, a pair ofeyes and a pair of ears, the first head further having a first connectorat a bottom portion thereof, and a second connector at a top portionthereof; and a second head having a plurality of faces on differentsides of the second head, each face having one nose, one mouth, a pairof eyes and a pair of ears, the second head further having a thirdconnector at a bottom portion thereof, and a fourth connector at a topportion thereof; securing the first connector of the first head to theneck of the torso; removing the first head from the neck of the torso;and securing the third connector of the second head to the neck of thetorso.
 10. The method of claim 9, further including: providing a firstwig having a first wig connector; providing a second wig having a secondwig connector; connecting the first wig connector of the first wig tothe second connector of the first head to secure the first wig to thetop portion of the first head; removing the first wig; and connectingthe second wig connector of the second wig to the second connector ofthe first head to secure the second wig to the top portion of the firsthead.
 11. The method of claim 9, further including: providing the firsthead with two faces and the second head with two faces.
 12. The methodof claim 9, further including: providing the first head with two facesand the second head with three faces.
 13. The method of claim 9, furtherincluding: providing the first head with three faces and the second headwith three faces.
 14. The method of claim 9, further including:providing the first head with two faces and the second head with fourfaces.